1 June 2004

Left. Looking west at Banana
ocean entry. Lava enters the water at several places along the front
of the 1.5-yr-old Wilipe`a lava delta. Note the numerous breakouts
in the Banana flow on the surface of the delta. 0514. Right.
Somewhat wider view of same, with person for scale. 0517.

Left. Closer view of three entry
points along front of Banana flow. Each entry is 1-3 m wide. 0523. Right.
Looking across Wilipe`a delta at lava falls in distance on cliff at
front of Wilipe`a delta. See right image below for closer view.
0525.

Left. Several breakouts sweep
down front of Wilipe`a delta into the Pacific. View looks northeast
from near lava falls in right image. 0540. Right. Lava falls
show in right image above. Lava hits a newly(?) forming delta, pours
down it, and finally freefalls into water. Height of falls, about 7
m. 0543.

Left. Daylight view from
location of camera in first 4 images today. Note small delta forming
as lava extends shoreline outward. Note also steaming rock stranded
on beach in lower center of image. This rock is crust broken by surf
from lava and floated onshore, where it grounded as water receded.
Rock is 75-100 cm across. 0605. Right. Similar view as in
left image but showing more clearly relation of newly forming delta
to strand line. Many other steaming rocks are visible, including one
large one in upper center. 0607.

2 June 2004

Left. Front of Banana entry off
Wilipe`a lava delta. This and following scenes of entry all look
southwest and were taken from about the same point. 0512. Right.
Multiple entry points, where lava pours into water off front of
delta. 0522.

Left. New black sand beach is
forming and is adding to preexisting beach below sea cliff. This
area is northeast of Wilipe`a delta and was covered by lava since
yesterday morning. Note steaming hot rock in lower center. 0537. Right.
View similar to right above, but more sedate. 0542.

Left. Sea bird (Hawaiian noddy), displaced with
others from sea cliff to right, circles new beach adjacent to
growing delta. 0545. Right. Sun has come up, and point of
growing delta now has some color other than that afforded by
incandescence. 0552.

Left. Small lava falls over old
sea cliff onto surface of Wilipe`a delta at eastern side of Banana
flow. Stream is about 1 m wide. 0616. Right. With apologies
to Robert Frost, something there is that doesn't love a rope. Banana
flow has done a real number on rope barrier that once restricted
visitors from going onto Wilipe`a lava delta. 0633.

3 June 2004

Left. Full Strawberry Moon gazes
down on photographers, who in turn gaze down on Banana ocean entry.
Lava pours into sea off tip of Wilipe`a delta and off near side of
delta. Note pink western sky heralding dawn. 0529. Right.
View of ocean entries seen by photographers in left image. Note the
free fall of several streams into water off far point of Wilipe`a
delta. 0521.

Two views of steaming rocks from same
vantage point. Left. Just after large wave carried in and
stranded hot rocks on beach. 0544. Right. Nine minutes
later, rocks have cooled a little and are steaming less profusely.
0553.

Left. Distraught Hawaiian noddy,
sea bird that nests in cliff, disturbed by heat and color new to its
home. There is actually a second noddy in image. Can you find it?
Hint: better use large image. 0554. Right. More Hawaiian
noddies, seemingly equally concerned by the entry. 0605.

Left. Lava stream 2 m wide pours
from tube and cascades down side of Wilipe`a delta, creating more
land in Hawai`i. 0607. Right. Looking east across front of
growing lava delta (steam and faint incandescence) and black sand
beach beyond. Sand forms when lava enters water, quenches to glass,
and is broken by surf action. Water currents carry sand and deposit
it in relatively protected spots below sea cliff. Note photographers
for scale in upper left. Incandescence comes from site of left
image. 0614.

Left. Small is beautiful. Ocean
entry at tip of west prong of Banana flow, more than 600 m southwest
of previous images. Lava flow is a couple of meters wide. 0633. Right.
Same flow as in left image, but looking northeastward along front of
Wilipe`a lava delta. New flow that feeds lava to water is smooth,
dark rock sandwiched between knobby, lighter-colored (because of
deposition of salt) surface of delta. 0637.

4 June 2004

Left. Lava in Banana flow
plunges into ocean off east side of Wilipe`a delta, with surf
crashing against rocks. Largest rock, about 3 m high. 0526. Right.
Slender lava falls off side of Wilipe`a delta. Wider cascade in
background. Falls are 2-3 m high. 0528.

Left. Wider view of right image
above, showing stream feeding falls. 0610. Right. Two
cascades of lava descend old sea cliff on inland side of Wilipe`a
delta. They may feed stream that is breaking out in foreground.
0636.

Left. Cascades of lava in
western prong of Banana flow descend old sea cliff. Cascade is about
8 m high. 0641. Right. Gush of lava comes down old sea
cliff, suddenly breaking out of flow between cascades of left image.
0642.

5 June 2004

Left. Looking southwest at lava
in west prong of Banana flow pouring off old Wilipe`a delta. Sea
cliff is 8-10 m high. 0526. Right. Clockwise pan from left
image, showing surface of Wilipe`a delta back to old sea cliff
predating the delta. Lava in Banana flow is descending the mantled
old cliff. Light-colored surface is still hot lava flow. 0528.

Left. Looking east across
southwestern end of newly forming Banana delta (name still under
discussion), soon after sunrise. Compare this image with last four
images below for striking changes. This active delta is extremely
unstable, as is any active lava delta. 0543 Right. Better
view of surface of actively forming Banana delta, from top of
Wilipe`a sea cliff. 0549.

Next four images are a little out of
focus and normally would not be shown. However, they illustrate an
interesting event that can be seen despite the fuzzy appearance. Left.
Unrealized by photographer, slab near top of image is tilting
seaward (compare with left image two rows above for pre-tilting
view). Photo was taken to show the streams of lava, including the
vertical fall into the water. 0603. Right. Suddenly,
incandescent slab appears to rear up. However, close comparison with
left image shows that top of slab moved seaward but did not change
height much if at all. Apparently crusted lava on inland side of
slab surged ahead, shoving slab outward, and finally drained way,
presumably as lava under crust gushed into water. Slab is estimated
2-3 m high. 0604.

Left. Two minutes later, slab
has developed a crust on part of its inland side, but incandescent
interior remains visible. 0606. Right. Closer view of the
pinnacle. This structure is surely unstable but was still standing
when photographer left scene 15 minutes later. 0607.

6 June 2004

Left. Looking southwest across
new Banana lava delta, built outward from the front of the Wilipe`a
delta. Banana delta is very unstable and should not be approached.
People give scale. 0521. Right. Image of area shown in last
4 images yesterday. The tilted slab of yesterday is no more. 0555.

Left. From same place as right
above, looking southeast across new Banana lava delta. Lava flows
down cliff in image taken yesterday at 0549. Comparison with that
image shows substantial seaward growth of delta. 0557. Right.
Lava cascades and other ocean entries in western cluster of ocean
entries off front of Wilipe`a delta. 0601.

Left. Lava slowly constructing
small mound or proto-delta outward from sea cliff shown in right
image above. 0633. Right. Similar to left image. The
interaction of lava and water is a stirring dynamic process. Lava
wins the battle, but eventually water wins the war. 0634.

8 June 2004

Left. Predawn view of northeast
end of new Banana lava delta. 0516. Right. Close-up view of
one entry in the area shown in left image. Lava river is 2-3 m wide.
Surf sends curtain of water nearly to top of image. 0520.

Left. Northeast end of new lava
delta being constructed in western cluster of entries. Width of
delta in image, 8-10 m. 0606. Right. Same delta as in left
image, in context with sea cliff developed in old Wilipe`a lava
delta. 0607.

Left. Lava pours onto new lava
delta under construction farther southwest than delta in upper
images. Note that left branch of cascade enters lava tube made by
crusting over of slightly earlier stream. Height of lava cascade,
about 4 m. 0616. Right. View from same vantage point as left
image, but looking at lava moving across new delta and entering
water. 0618.

9 June 2004

Left. Pickings were slim this
morning, with onshore winds, but this view shows small entry off new
western delta and sharp tumulus built on the delta. 0520. Right.
Close-up of peaked tumulus, about 2 m high, with ocean behind. 0522.

Left. Surprise, surprise!
Standing on top of a tumulus to take the upper two shots, your
photographer felt a shudder, heard cracking sounds, and watched lava
emerge 1 m away from the inflating tumulus. This image taken a few
seconds after lava began gushing out. Stream is 50 cm wide. 0523. Right.
Breakout in left image developed nice little stream, seen here in
foreground, that flows onto delta. In background is lava cascade
into water. 0532.

Left. Looking southwest at new
lava delta forming at western entry cluster. Activity has lessened
considerably since earlier today. A small lava falls is barely
visible beneath largest laze plume. 1153. Right. Image from
same site as left image, but looking northeast at large steam plume
from southwest end of lava delta in eastern cluster of entries. Note
large--and growing--black sand beach. 1154.

11 June 2004

Four views of western ocean entry in Banana flow; in and near Pu`u
`O`o

Left. Same entry as above but
from different angle. Note how lava cascade has developed in past 4
minutes. 0552. Right. Wider view from site of left image,
showing more clearly the interplay between lava and water. 0558.

Left. Aerial view of East Pond
Vent in crater of Pu`u `O`o. Spatter cone, which had collapsed, has
been rebuilt. 1020. Right. New hornito at new vent in area
where MLK flow originated in January. Height of hornito, 1.5 m.

Left. Aerial view of shield
formed in past week above lava tube for PKK (Kuhio) flow near south
base of Pu`u `O`o. Flat top in center of image is perched lava pond
several tens of meters across. 1021. Right. Another aerial
view of new shield, showing two channels of lava flowing down flanks
from perched pond on top of shield. 1021.

12 June 2004

Left. Photographer heard
cracking sound, glanced up, and saw top of tumulus sliding seaward
(left). After wits were regained, this scene was shot. Lava was
gushing from inside tumulus into water but was obscured from this
vantage point. Collapsed top of tumulus is relatively smooth sloping
area at left, with glow reflecting off inner wall of tumulus. Width
of view, 8 m. 0528. Right. Photographer rushed to other side
of tumulus and, 4 minutes later, observed this stream pouring onto
rocks near shoreline. Width of streams, 1-1.5 m. 0532.

Left. Setting for images in top
row. Lava comes out of tumulus (high mound just left of source of
lava) and flows down front of new western delta. Tumulus had several
incandescent cracks a few minutes before it broke open; one can
still be seen in this image. 0535. Right. Another entry site
along western lava delta just northeast of broken tumulus. 0549.

Left. Different perspective on
entry area in upper right image. Lava flux waxes and wanes as crust
develops and breaks. Sun is now up. 0559. Right. New eastern
delta of Banana flow, looking southwestward. Near end of delta is
built on black sand. Small entries are taking place at left tip of
delta, and other larger ones are in distance creating large steam
plume. 0633.

Left. Lava falls onto beach at
northeast tip of eastern delta. Note steaming rocks on beach, in
swash zone. Height of falls, 2 m. 0635. Right. Wider view of
northeast end of delta. Lava falls in left image is just above
leading edge of swash. Larger entry is at left, where lid on tube
has been tipped seaward. 0636.

Left. Looking southwest along
western lava delta. Next three images are of lava entering water at
point in distance. 0555. Right. Two streams drop into swash,
and a third is about to be engulfed by wave. All are fed by tubes
carrying lava across the delta. 0558.

15 June 2004

Left. Lava falls into water off
one of western entries in Banana flow. Lava is fed through a small
tube formed when previous surf quenched the falls. Height of falls,
2 m. 0550. Right.
Wider view of left image. 0557.

Left. Pool of lava resided for
several minutes atop point feeding lava falls in above images. Then
crust developed on pool and hid lava from sight. Photographer packed
up and turned to leave at 0606. 0545. Right. Glancing back,
plans changed as lava was gushing from crusted pool. Stream is 2 m
wide. 0607.

Map of flows from Pu`u `O`o: 21 May 2004

Shades of red denote Mother's Day flow, which began erupting on
May 12, 2002 and continues to the present. Darkest shade indicates lava
flows erupted in November 2003-21 May 2004, including the labeled Banana
flow, which developed gradually starting in the middle of April. Yellow stars indicate
centers of formerly active, but now dead, rootless shields built along lava tube in
Mother's Day flow. Yellow shade indicates Kuhio (Prince Kuhio
Kalaniana`ole) flow, active most of the time from March 20 to May 21. As of
May 21,
most activity was located south of the rootless shield complex in the
Banana flow,
fed by the Banana branch of the Mother's Day tube. The Kuhio flow
remains active, too.

Through September and into early October 2003, lava was moving along
the east and west sides of the Mother's Day flow. The east-side lava
(known as the August 9 breakout) came from the August 9 rootless shield,
itself fed by the main Mother's Day tube from Pu`u `O`o. The west side
lava, known as the Kohola arm of the Mother's Day flow, branched off the
tube system below the rootless shield.

In early October 2003, the August 9 breakout stopped moving, the Kohola
died back to a trickle, and the one labeled rootless shield gained
prominence. By October 16, however, the shield had partly collapsed,
leaving several drained perched ponds behind. Upstream from the shield,
many hornitos and small flows formed over the Mother's Day tube. Soon
thereafter, other rootless shields began to form over the Mother's Day,
August 9, and Kohola tubes.

New vents opened at the southern base of Pu`u `O`o on January 19 and
fed Martin Luther King (MLK) flows, which remained active until March 5.
Several small vents formed during this time. On March 20, Prince Kuhio
Kalaniana`ole (PKK) flow originated from two vents, main one about 250 m
south of base of Pu`u `O`o. This flow has remained active most of the
time to the May 21 date of this map.

The Banana flow developed from breakouts from the Mother's Day lava
tube, centered near the former Banana Tree kipuka. The breakouts become
prominent in the middle of April, and lava started down Pulama pali
shortly thereafter. This is the time that we assigned the name Banana to
the flow.

Vents in West Gap Pit became active in early October, were quiet for
3 weeks, and then resumed intermittent activity that continued well into
December. Other vents were also sporadically active in Puka Nui (near West Gap Pit)
and in the crater of Pu`u `O`o.

Map of Pu`u `O`o and vicinity: 9 April 2004

Map shows vents, lava flows, and other features near Pu`u `O`o frequently referred to in updates (see
large map). These features change often, but this map should help
those viewers lost in the terminology. The cones in West Gap are just
outside the boundary of the crater--the oval shaped depression
containing the seven numbered vents (now down to 6, as Humble Vent has
been buried by a mound of lava flows erupted from Dave's Pit/Vent in
March. Red color denotes flows--the
Mother's Day flows--erupted since May 12, 2002. Light orange color indicates
episode-55 flows erupted between March 1997 and August 2002 (exclusive
of Mother's Day flows). Darker orange represents MLK flows, and yellow,
PKK flow. Vents for these two sets of flows shown by indicated symbols. Gray shows flows of earlier episodes.

The URL of this page is
http://hvo.wr.usgs.gov/multimedia/archive/2000/Aug/
Contact:
hvowebmaster@usgs.govUpdated: 19 June 2004 (DAS)